Selby Retains IBF Featherweight World Title

Over in Arizona, in the early hours of this morning, the Welsh fighter Lee Selby made the first defence of his IBF featherweight crown, taking on the three-time world champion Fernando Montiel.

Ahead of the fight it was predicted it would be a tough affair and that Selby could be in for a hard nights? work and that is exactly as it turned out.

In a scrappy encounter, Selby held on to his belt, taking the points decision on the score-cards of all three judges, with the scores reading:-

? 119-109? 118-110? 116-112

But the score-cards don?t tell the full story of the fight. Montiel, a multiple-weight world champion, showed all his experience and made a difficult target for Selby to land any clean, punishing blows on.

In all honesty, it wouldn?t have surprised me if the points? decisions were a lot closer, it was that kind of fight.

But all credit to Lee Selby for taking a difficult fight as his first defence whilst also being prepared to go to the US to raise his profile.

It remains to be seen who Selby fights next, will pre-fight talk of a bout with Josh Warrington or Scott Quigg come to fruition?